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My new diesel tow rig... 10 happy cylinders


gregtay

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Everyone says diesel is better.. I have to agree. I got tried of filling up the Armada and getting 11mpg... so i made a switch:). No.. it's not some huge american truck.. i already tried that and it didn't work for me... i need something i can drive around town. So here she is... all 553ft/lbs of torque :) I picked up an 08 Touareg V10TDI. It's a happy day. The technology in this thing is endless.. when you hook up the boat trailer it automatically checks to make sure you don't have any lights out.. and if you do, it lets you know. :) I get about 25-26 on the highway and 17-18 in town... towing the 'bu still yields better mpg's then i got driving the Armada without towing.

3652371795_f1d4291bfe_b.jpg

3653167598_1a8b6072fb_b.jpg

3652374169_b16542c462_o.jpg

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A very nice ride Greg. Good idea.

I think the torque is 406 ft. lbs., however.

My 2002 Duramax is only 520 ft lbs out of a 6.6 liter turbodiesel and the new ones are 650 I believe.

406 ft. lbs. is a lot of torque from a 3 litre engine

An added bonus is that the diesel engines just are not turning as many rpm as the gas engine and you will find that your longevity with the diesel is a lot longer, which is why I still am not even considering changing out of my 2002 Duramax.

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Gregtay,

Sweet looking ride!! How does it do towing your boat? The VW has some impressive torque numbers, how is it to drive? Does it accelerate well? The wife and I briefly looked at the Audi Q7 3.0 Liter TDI when I took my A4 in for factory service/scheduled maintence. I think the Q7 is built on the same platform as the VW that you have. We did not have time to test drive it but it came with everything we need/want in a vehicle that can be used as an everday driver for her and also serve as an adequate tow vehicle. I'm in a similar situation as yourself, we currently have a 2005 QX56 that tows the boat great but as you mentioned the gas mileage sucks. I'm probably a little negative on my current QX56 if I were to trade it in.

Could you give me a pm in regards to the financials of your trade in? I'm curious to see how much you were allowed on your Armada, I'm assuming you traded it for the VW. Thanks for your time and I understand if you don't want to reveal any numbers.

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A very nice ride Greg. Good idea.

I think the torque is 406 ft. lbs., however.

My 2002 Duramax is only 520 ft lbs out of a 6.6 liter turbodiesel and the new ones are 650 I believe.

406 ft. lbs. is a lot of torque from a 3 litre engine

An added bonus is that the diesel engines just are not turning as many rpm as the gas engine and you will find that your longevity with the diesel is a lot longer, which is why I still am not even considering changing out of my 2002 Duramax.

I went diesel in 2007 and will never go back. At least for towing.

Here in Australia there are two V10 versions available in Toureg. Both are 5.0 litre or 304 cubic inch. The big banger has 345 Hp, 626 ft lbs and a 0-60 of 6.5 secs. WOW. The only catch is the cost of getting into one. That's why I had to make do with my Toyota, but even with 310 ft lbs from my 3 ltr it's all on line from just 1600 RPM. This gives me around 28 MPG when not towing out on the highway. Gotta be happy with that. Thumbup.gif

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A very nice ride Greg. Good idea.

I think the torque is 406 ft. lbs., however.

My 2002 Duramax is only 520 ft lbs out of a 6.6 liter turbodiesel and the new ones are 650 I believe.

406 ft. lbs. is a lot of torque from a 3 litre engine

An added bonus is that the diesel engines just are not turning as many rpm as the gas engine and you will find that your longevity with the diesel is a lot longer, which is why I still am not even considering changing out of my 2002 Duramax.

You are thinking of the new V6 TDI... I have the V10 twin turbo TDI...

V10 TDI 2002- 4.9 L (4921 cc, 300 cu in) V10 turbo 313 PS (309 hp/230 kW), 750 N·m (553 lb·ft)

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Never considered a VW SUV and didn't realize there was a v10 in one! Very nice looking with incredible pulling power in a SUV package.

We love our 07 Duramax/Allison diesel. I believe our numbers are 365 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque at 1500rpm. The low rpm torque is what got our attention.

Nice VW! Enjoy.

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2010 Malibu Response....V10 TDI....Extreme RLXi Tower....Boatmate TA riding on 18" lo pro's wrapped in 10" wide stainless fenders....oooooohhhhhh.......

::breathe::

I think I asked for this a few years back when VW talked about making this little beauty....

Peter :)

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Everyone says diesel is better.. I have to agree. I got tried of filling up the Armada and getting 11mpg... so i made a switch:). No.. it's not some huge american truck.. i already tried that and it didn't work for me... i need something i can drive around town. So here she is... all 553ft/lbs of torque :) I picked up an 08 Touareg V10TDI. It's a happy day. The technology in this thing is endless.. when you hook up the boat trailer it automatically checks to make sure you don't have any lights out.. and if you do, it lets you know. :) I get about 25-26 on the highway and 17-18 in town... towing the 'bu still yields better mpg's then i got driving the Armada without towing.

3652371795_f1d4291bfe_b.jpg

3653167598_1a8b6072fb_b.jpg

3652374169_b16542c462_o.jpg

Looks comfy. I remember seeing some pictures of this thing pulling an airplane before. Looks to be a sturdy setup and a good diesel option vs. a big a$$ truck. I can't say I wouldn't mind having something a little smaller than a megacab at times, but the room and power are always handy to have.

What kind of mileage does it get towing?

Edited by 06vlx
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I haven't driven a TDI, but the V8 performs & handles like a big sportscar. A really awesome SUV. I just couldn't get over 2 things: 1) the price tag, & 2) I've become used to how a full size rig handles towing a big boat & didn't care for how it dealt with that. It's more than capable, just not my cup of tea in a tow rig. As a stand alone though....wow, a fantastic vehicle.

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A very nice ride Greg. Good idea.

I think the torque is 406 ft. lbs., however.

My 2002 Duramax is only 520 ft lbs out of a 6.6 liter turbodiesel and the new ones are 650 I believe.

406 ft. lbs. is a lot of torque from a 3 litre engine

An added bonus is that the diesel engines just are not turning as many rpm as the gas engine and you will find that your longevity with the diesel is a lot longer, which is why I still am not even considering changing out of my 2002 Duramax.

I went diesel in 2007 and will never go back. At least for towing.

Here in Australia there are two V10 versions available in Toureg. Both are 5.0 litre or 304 cubic inch. The big banger has 345 Hp, 626 ft lbs and a 0-60 of 6.5 secs. WOW. The only catch is the cost of getting into one. That's why I had to make do with my Toyota, but even with 310 ft lbs from my 3 ltr it's all on line from just 1600 RPM. This gives me around 28 MPG when not towing out on the highway. Gotta be happy with that. Thumbup.gif

In the US we didn't be the R50 spec V10 :(... so we have to manage with the "lower powered" version. You can of course chip the beast and the torque numbers go WAY up.. but i I very happy with it just the way it is. And yes.. the catch is the cost of getting into one.. but i purchased mine pre-owned after a year.. was driven by a VW exec at VW headquaters.

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I haven't driven a TDI, but the V8 performs & handles like a big sportscar. A really awesome SUV. I just couldn't get over 2 things: 1) the price tag, & 2) I've become used to how a full size rig handles towing a big boat & didn't care for how it dealt with that. It's more than capable, just not my cup of tea in a tow rig. As a stand alone though....wow, a fantastic vehicle.

Did you try towing with a Touareg with Air Susp?... make all the differance... it does a better job than my Armada (Armada did great.. but you the susp get all weird when the boat was hooked up.

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Everyone says diesel is better.. I have to agree. I got tried of filling up the Armada and getting 11mpg... so i made a switch:). No.. it's not some huge american truck.. i already tried that and it didn't work for me... i need something i can drive around town. So here she is... all 553ft/lbs of torque :) I picked up an 08 Touareg V10TDI. It's a happy day. The technology in this thing is endless.. when you hook up the boat trailer it automatically checks to make sure you don't have any lights out.. and if you do, it lets you know. :) I get about 25-26 on the highway and 17-18 in town... towing the 'bu still yields better mpg's then i got driving the Armada without towing.

3652371795_f1d4291bfe_b.jpg

3653167598_1a8b6072fb_b.jpg

3652374169_b16542c462_o.jpg

Looks comfy. I remember seeing some pictures of this thing pulling an airplane before. Looks to be a sturdy setup and a good diesel option vs. a big a$$ truck. I can't say I wouldn't mind having something a little smaller than a megacab at times, but the room and power are always handy to have.

What kind of mileage does it get towing?

They towed a 747 with a v10 Touareg.. just to prove it could be done:). I don't have any towing MPG figured yet.. haven't towed far enough.. i have a big trip in 2 weeks.. i will let you know. So far without towing i get about 16-18 int he city and 25-26 on the highway. Went 410 miles on my last tank... compared to the "lucky if i got 200 miles" on the Armada.. and they have the same size tank. OH.. and diesel is cheaper :)

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It must weigh much more than it looks and the brakes must be much beefier than a normal SUV then. I didn't think the weight ratio would match up in the event your trailer brakes fail Whistling.gif That's always my concern pulling with a mid size truck.

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I haven't driven a TDI, but the V8 performs & handles like a big sportscar. A really awesome SUV. I just couldn't get over 2 things: 1) the price tag, & 2) I've become used to how a full size rig handles towing a big boat & didn't care for how it dealt with that. It's more than capable, just not my cup of tea in a tow rig. As a stand alone though....wow, a fantastic vehicle.

Did you try towing with a Touareg with Air Susp?... make all the differance... it does a better job than my Armada (Armada did great.. but you the susp get all weird when the boat was hooked up.

No, & I have heard that part. At the time though I was getting desperate in terms of needing something to drive & I didn't have time to search very hard for the one that I wanted. Plus the price tag was more than I wanted to pay, so I scrapped the idea. But you're not the first one that I've heard that from, so there's more than likely something to it.

It must weigh much more than it looks and the brakes must be much beefier than a normal SUV then. I didn't think the weight ratio would match up in the event your trailer brakes fail Whistling.gif That's always my concern pulling with a mid size truck.

It weighs almost 6k lbs with the V8, it's much heavier duty than it looks. Driving it down the road feels both incredibly solid yet really sporty at the same time. When we test drove, it didn't have any problem with the VLX in terms of both power & stopping ability. And yes, the dealer let us hook it up. Biggrin.gif

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I haven't driven a TDI, but the V8 performs & handles like a big sportscar. A really awesome SUV. I just couldn't get over 2 things: 1) the price tag, & 2) I've become used to how a full size rig handles towing a big boat & didn't care for how it dealt with that. It's more than capable, just not my cup of tea in a tow rig. As a stand alone though....wow, a fantastic vehicle.

Did you try towing with a Touareg with Air Susp?... make all the differance... it does a better job than my Armada (Armada did great.. but you the susp get all weird when the boat was hooked up.

No, & I have heard that part. At the time though I was getting desperate in terms of needing something to drive & I didn't have time to search very hard for the one that I wanted. Plus the price tag was more than I wanted to pay, so I scrapped the idea. But you're not the first one that I've heard that from, so there's more than likely something to it.

It must weigh much more than it looks and the brakes must be much beefier than a normal SUV then. I didn't think the weight ratio would match up in the event your trailer brakes fail Whistling.gif That's always my concern pulling with a mid size truck.

It weighs almost 6k lbs with the V8, it's much heavier duty than it looks. Driving it down the road feels both incredibly solid yet really sporty at the same time. When we test drove, it didn't have any problem with the VLX in terms of both power & stopping ability. And yes, the dealer let us hook it up. Biggrin.gif

Anything for a potential sale now a days, I don't think I would want to go test drive anything or I might get into some trouble when I get home Biggrin.gif That is why I have been avoiding the corvette dealerships Cry.gif

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Gregtay,

Sweet looking ride!! How does it do towing your boat? The VW has some impressive torque numbers, how is it to drive? Does it accelerate well? The wife and I briefly looked at the Audi Q7 3.0 Liter TDI when I took my A4 in for factory service/scheduled maintence. I think the Q7 is built on the same platform as the VW that you have. We did not have time to test drive it but it came with everything we need/want in a vehicle that can be used as an everday driver for her and also serve as an adequate tow vehicle. I'm in a similar situation as yourself, we currently have a 2005 QX56 that tows the boat great but as you mentioned the gas mileage sucks. I'm probably a little negative on my current QX56 if I were to trade it in.

Could you give me a pm in regards to the financials of your trade in? I'm curious to see how much you were allowed on your Armada, I'm assuming you traded it for the VW. Thanks for your time and I understand if you don't want to reveal any numbers.

The Q7 and the Touareg are the same platform and you can get the Q7 with the same 3.0 TDI "clean" motor. We loved the Q7TDI (took one home for the night) but i couldn't find one with air susp and ordering a 2010 = a very long wait... plus it was $$$$. The Q7 has a longer wheelbase and 3rd row seats.. the Touareg get you a transfer case and more 4x4 utility. The V10 is AMAZING!!.. tons of torque.. lots of pull. It was designed to tow... lots of technology to make this happen. I will send you a PM.

Edited by gregtay
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Gregtay,

Sweet looking ride!! How does it do towing your boat? The VW has some impressive torque numbers, how is it to drive? Does it accelerate well? The wife and I briefly looked at the Audi Q7 3.0 Liter TDI when I took my A4 in for factory service/scheduled maintence. I think the Q7 is built on the same platform as the VW that you have. We did not have time to test drive it but it came with everything we need/want in a vehicle that can be used as an everday driver for her and also serve as an adequate tow vehicle. I'm in a similar situation as yourself, we currently have a 2005 QX56 that tows the boat great but as you mentioned the gas mileage sucks. I'm probably a little negative on my current QX56 if I were to trade it in.

Could you give me a pm in regards to the financials of your trade in? I'm curious to see how much you were allowed on your Armada, I'm assuming you traded it for the VW. Thanks for your time and I understand if you don't want to reveal any numbers.

The Q7 and the Touareg are the same platform and you can get the Q7 with the same 3.0 TDI "clean" motor. We loved the Q7TDI (took one home for the night) but i couldn't find one with air susp and ordering a 2010 = a very long wait... plus it was $$$$. The Q7 has a longer wheelbase and 3rd row seats.. the Touareg get you a transfer case and more 4x4 utility. The V10 is AMAZING!!.. tons of touareg.. lots of pull. It was designed to tow... lots of technology to make this happen. I will send you a PM.

WHAT ROFL.gif

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I haven't driven a TDI, but the V8 performs & handles like a big sportscar. A really awesome SUV. I just couldn't get over 2 things: 1) the price tag, & 2) I've become used to how a full size rig handles towing a big boat & didn't care for how it dealt with that. It's more than capable, just not my cup of tea in a tow rig. As a stand alone though....wow, a fantastic vehicle.

Did you try towing with a Touareg with Air Susp?... make all the differance... it does a better job than my Armada (Armada did great.. but you the susp get all weird when the boat was hooked up.

No, & I have heard that part. At the time though I was getting desperate in terms of needing something to drive & I didn't have time to search very hard for the one that I wanted. Plus the price tag was more than I wanted to pay, so I scrapped the idea. But you're not the first one that I've heard that from, so there's more than likely something to it.

It must weigh much more than it looks and the brakes must be much beefier than a normal SUV then. I didn't think the weight ratio would match up in the event your trailer brakes fail Whistling.gif That's always my concern pulling with a mid size truck.

It weighs almost 6k lbs with the V8, it's much heavier duty than it looks. Driving it down the road feels both incredibly solid yet really sporty at the same time. When we test drove, it didn't have any problem with the VLX in terms of both power & stopping ability. And yes, the dealer let us hook it up. Biggrin.gif

Anything for a potential sale now a days, I don't think I would want to go test drive anything or I might get into some trouble when I get home Biggrin.gif That is why I have been avoiding the corvette dealerships Cry.gif

In part, but we've purchased a lot of vehicles at that particular dealership so they treat us right regardless of economic conditions.

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I haven't driven a TDI, but the V8 performs & handles like a big sportscar. A really awesome SUV. I just couldn't get over 2 things: 1) the price tag, & 2) I've become used to how a full size rig handles towing a big boat & didn't care for how it dealt with that. It's more than capable, just not my cup of tea in a tow rig. As a stand alone though....wow, a fantastic vehicle.

Did you try towing with a Touareg with Air Susp?... make all the differance... it does a better job than my Armada (Armada did great.. but you the susp get all weird when the boat was hooked up.

No, & I have heard that part. At the time though I was getting desperate in terms of needing something to drive & I didn't have time to search very hard for the one that I wanted. Plus the price tag was more than I wanted to pay, so I scrapped the idea. But you're not the first one that I've heard that from, so there's more than likely something to it.

It must weigh much more than it looks and the brakes must be much beefier than a normal SUV then. I didn't think the weight ratio would match up in the event your trailer brakes fail Whistling.gif That's always my concern pulling with a mid size truck.

It weighs almost 6k lbs with the V8, it's much heavier duty than it looks. Driving it down the road feels both incredibly solid yet really sporty at the same time. When we test drove, it didn't have any problem with the VLX in terms of both power & stopping ability. And yes, the dealer let us hook it up. Biggrin.gif

Anything for a potential sale now a days, I don't think I would want to go test drive anything or I might get into some trouble when I get home Biggrin.gif That is why I have been avoiding the corvette dealerships Cry.gif

In part, but we've purchased a lot of vehicles at that particular dealership so they treat us right regardless of economic conditions.

That's even better than having friends working there :)

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Answering some of the questions...

yes.. it is heavy... 5825 dry curb wieght.

yes... the V10 has HUGE brakes... 6 piston 350mm on the front. So it doesn't get tossed around by the 'bu and it can still stop on a dime.

yes... these things are $$$$. MSRP on my car was $77,800 YIKES! So i picked it up with 14K miles on it.. it was a VW exec demo (for some VP) for 12 months. I paid $45,500. (and it still looks/smells new.)

yes... these things are $$$$ to fix. I have a VW bumper to bumper no deductable warrenty for 8 years and 100K miles (same coverage as the factory 4yr/50K)

yes... this can can go offroad - air susp can raise it up to 11" of ground clearance, or lower it down (and tighten up susp) for high speed driving. Mine has center and rear locking diffs.

yes... the V10 Touareg is sort of rare (which you can understand with that price)... i thnk they imported about 400-600 a year from 2004-2008 (no longer avail in 2009) I had to find mine in Boston and have it shipped to Seattle... it was worth it.

Edited by gregtay
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